CALCUTTA: THE betting scene here in Calcutta, at least outside the Eden Gardens, was somewhat low-key and expectedly clandestine. Yet, the bookies maintained their estimated target of Rs 50-100 crore for the second final of the Independence Cup, has been achieved. Following met reports and discussions on the rains, the maximum betting, it is believed was not on who would win the second final, but on whether there would be any play at all! With a light drizzle in the morning, and weather forecast being of rain in the evening, bookies may well have pocketed a tidy sum, when the two captains went out for toss and play began on time.

MET STUMPED: The bookies were not the only persons keeping a close watch on the weather. The met office was more than just alert today. But then, that is their job. How often have they been proved wrong in spite of their alertness. Today was another such day. The met office had predicted rains in the evenings, but, weather in Calcutta being as unpredictable as cricket, the clouds held on nicely.

GIANT GOOF-UP: The weathermen were not the only ones to goof up on Tuesday. The giant electronic scoreboard of the Eden Gardens carried wrong information not once, but twice. Even as Pakistan off-spinner Arshad Khan bowled the second over of the day, his name was nowhere to be found on the electronic scoreboard. Rather, those manning it wanted us to believe that Azhar Mehmood, and not Arshad, was on the field. Soon after this mistake was rectified, the scoreboard credited Attapatu's catch to Shaheed Afridi and kept it that way for three overs!

TOUT TACTICS: The Cricket Association of Bengal kept on informing that all the most of the tickets had been sold. Indeed they had been, but touts who had bought them were desperate to re-sell. However, there were very few buyers. With India's early exit having dampened the cricket mood here, the touts were even ready to sell the tickets for half the price. Some of them were still looking for buyers a few overs before the end of the Sri Lanka innings.

STIFLING SECURITY: Suffocating is perhaps the right word for the security here. There were policemen everywhere. It was indeed a case of once bitten twice shy. They had learnt their lesson during the World Cup semi-final last year, and were not prepared to take things lightly this time. The famous mounted police were at their job again, chasing away anybody trying to break the rank. The funniest thing, however, was that very few bags were being checked. So anyone wanted to carry crackers inside,it would not have been too difficult.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.